Forrest Gump (novel)
Encyclopedia
Forrest Gump is a 1986
novel by Winston Groom
. The title character experiences adventures ranging from shrimp boating
and ping pong
championships to thinking about his childhood love. The Vietnam War
and college football
are all part of the story. Throughout his life, Gump views the world simply and truthfully. Throughout the course of the book, he really doesn't know what he wants to do in life. Author and narrator Groom uses intonations that capture Gump's personality. Gump is full of wisdom, but is considered an "idiot" because of his low IQ and disability. According to him, he "can think things pretty good", but when he tries "sayin or writin them, it kinda come out like Jello". He is also physically strong and falls into amazing adventures.
, narrates the story of his life. He mentions that his father worked on a dock and was crushed "like a pancake" by a crane full of bananas. While living in Mobile, Alabama
, Forrest meets Jenny Curran during first grade. He enjoys walking home with her. After finishing that grade, he jumped off a cliff and almost died.
Six years later, when Forrest is thirteen years old, he has a height of 6.5 feet (1.98 m) and a weight 300 pounds (109.76 kilograms). He plays for a football team coached by Coach Feller. Miss Henderson, a teacher whom Forrest is infatuated with, gives him reading assignments. He reads The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
and two other books that he cannot remember. While he enjoys the books, he does not do well on tests. Around the same time, Jenny meets Forrest again and recognizes him from first grade. He sits next to her during lunch (described by him as his "favorite class") and is picked on by a boy who is around the age of fourteen. One day, Forrest fights back when the boy pokes him in the stomach with a stick.
Forrest gains popularity as a football player. Before his fourteenth birthday, he joins the All State Football team. The next year, he receives a package containing a baseball signed by the New York Yankees
(it is later chewed up by a dog). One day, Forrest is called to the principal's office, where he meets Bear Bryant
. He asks Forrest if he has considered playing college football. Forrest responds by shaking his head since he hadn't thought of it. Forrest takes a test, which he doesn't pass. In 1968, Forrest is given a "special diploma" when everyone else graduates from high school. Forrest takes a test at a local draft board for the United States Army
. After taking a test, he is told that he is "Temporarily Deferred."
That week, a telephone operator named Miss French brings Forrest to her room to eat from a box of "divinity". She strokes him in a personal way that he would have preferred Jenny to have done. Forrest and Jenny go to the movies and see Bonnie and Clyde
. In August, Forrest goes to the university and sleeps in "Ape Dorm", where he meets his room-mate Curtis from Opp, Alabama
. Forrest doesn't understand the football plays and gets them wrong at first. The first football game takes place on Saturday a few weeks later. Forrest scores four touch-downs and his team beats the University of Georgia
35 to 3. As other players go to parties, Forrest meets Bubba, who couldn't play in the game because he broke his foot during practice. The two of them play the harmonica. The next day (Sunday), Bubba lets Forrest keep the harmonica and acquires another one. That afternoon, Jenny finds Forrest and tells him that she saw him at the game. She takes classes in music and drama, dreams of becoming an actress or a singer, and plays guitar in a folk music
band. On Friday, Forrest sees Jenny and the rest of the band perform in front of the Student Union
building. They play covers of songs by Joan Baez
, Bob Dylan
, and Peter, Paul and Mary
. Forrest plays his harmonica while they play "Blowin' in the Wind
". Forrest starts playing with the band every Friday and makes $25 a gig.
A week later, English teacher Mister Boone tells Forrest that he should stop being amusing and start getting serious. Forrest has to write about the poet Wordsworth. One day, his guidance counselor at the athletics department excuses him from other classes. Forrest reports to Doctor Mills at the University Medical Center. Doctor Mills examines him.
in 1994. The film, starring Tom Hanks
in the title role, won several Academy Awards and became, at the time, the fourth highest-grossing film ever. The novel contains many plot lines not included in the film. The novel was republished by Pocket Books
(an imprint of Paramount's then-sister company Simon & Schuster
) to tie in with the release of the film.
1986 in literature
The year 1986 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Michael Grade. Controller of BBC One, axes plans to televise Ian Curteis's The Falklands Play.-New books:*Kingsley Amis - The Old Devils...
novel by Winston Groom
Winston Groom
Winston F. Groom, Jr. is an American novelist and non-fiction writer, best known for his book Forrest Gump, which was adapted into a film in 1994.- Life :...
. The title character experiences adventures ranging from shrimp boating
Shrimp fishery
A shrimp fishery is a fishery directed toward harvesting either shrimp or prawns. .-Commercial shrimping:...
and ping pong
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
championships to thinking about his childhood love. The Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
and college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
are all part of the story. Throughout his life, Gump views the world simply and truthfully. Throughout the course of the book, he really doesn't know what he wants to do in life. Author and narrator Groom uses intonations that capture Gump's personality. Gump is full of wisdom, but is considered an "idiot" because of his low IQ and disability. According to him, he "can think things pretty good", but when he tries "sayin or writin them, it kinda come out like Jello". He is also physically strong and falls into amazing adventures.
Plot
Forrest Gump, named after General Nathan Bedford ForrestNathan Bedford Forrest
Nathan Bedford Forrest was a lieutenant general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. He is remembered both as a self-educated, innovative cavalry leader during the war and as a leading southern advocate in the postwar years...
, narrates the story of his life. He mentions that his father worked on a dock and was crushed "like a pancake" by a crane full of bananas. While living in Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, Forrest meets Jenny Curran during first grade. He enjoys walking home with her. After finishing that grade, he jumped off a cliff and almost died.
Six years later, when Forrest is thirteen years old, he has a height of 6.5 feet (1.98 m) and a weight 300 pounds (109.76 kilograms). He plays for a football team coached by Coach Feller. Miss Henderson, a teacher whom Forrest is infatuated with, gives him reading assignments. He reads The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain is an 1876 novel about a young boy growing up along the Mississippi River. The story is set in the Town of "St...
and two other books that he cannot remember. While he enjoys the books, he does not do well on tests. Around the same time, Jenny meets Forrest again and recognizes him from first grade. He sits next to her during lunch (described by him as his "favorite class") and is picked on by a boy who is around the age of fourteen. One day, Forrest fights back when the boy pokes him in the stomach with a stick.
Forrest gains popularity as a football player. Before his fourteenth birthday, he joins the All State Football team. The next year, he receives a package containing a baseball signed by the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
(it is later chewed up by a dog). One day, Forrest is called to the principal's office, where he meets Bear Bryant
Bear Bryant
Paul William "Bear" Bryant was an American college football player and coach. He was best known as the longtime head coach of the University of Alabama football team. During his 25-year tenure as Alabama's head coach, he amassed six national championships and thirteen conference championships...
. He asks Forrest if he has considered playing college football. Forrest responds by shaking his head since he hadn't thought of it. Forrest takes a test, which he doesn't pass. In 1968, Forrest is given a "special diploma" when everyone else graduates from high school. Forrest takes a test at a local draft board for the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. After taking a test, he is told that he is "Temporarily Deferred."
That week, a telephone operator named Miss French brings Forrest to her room to eat from a box of "divinity". She strokes him in a personal way that he would have preferred Jenny to have done. Forrest and Jenny go to the movies and see Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie and Clyde (film)
The film was originally offered to François Truffaut, the best-known director of the New Wave movement, who made contributions to the script. He passed on the project to make Fahrenheit 451. The producers approached Jean-Luc Godard next...
. In August, Forrest goes to the university and sleeps in "Ape Dorm", where he meets his room-mate Curtis from Opp, Alabama
Opp, Alabama
Opp is a city in Covington County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 6,607. -Geography:Opp is located at . According to the U.S...
. Forrest doesn't understand the football plays and gets them wrong at first. The first football game takes place on Saturday a few weeks later. Forrest scores four touch-downs and his team beats the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
35 to 3. As other players go to parties, Forrest meets Bubba, who couldn't play in the game because he broke his foot during practice. The two of them play the harmonica. The next day (Sunday), Bubba lets Forrest keep the harmonica and acquires another one. That afternoon, Jenny finds Forrest and tells him that she saw him at the game. She takes classes in music and drama, dreams of becoming an actress or a singer, and plays guitar in a folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
band. On Friday, Forrest sees Jenny and the rest of the band perform in front of the Student Union
Student union
Student union may refer to:* Students' union, or student government in the U.S., a student organization at many colleges and universities dedicated to student governance...
building. They play covers of songs by Joan Baez
Joan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, musician and a prominent activist in the fields of human rights, peace and environmental justice....
, Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, and Peter, Paul and Mary
Peter, Paul and Mary
Peter, Paul and Mary were an American folk-singing trio whose nearly 50-year career began with their rise to become a paradigm for 1960s folk music. The trio was composed of Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey and Mary Travers...
. Forrest plays his harmonica while they play "Blowin' in the Wind
Blowin' in the Wind
"Blowin' in the Wind" is a song written by Bob Dylan and released on his album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan in 1963. Although it has been described as a protest song, it poses a series of questions about peace, war and freedom...
". Forrest starts playing with the band every Friday and makes $25 a gig.
A week later, English teacher Mister Boone tells Forrest that he should stop being amusing and start getting serious. Forrest has to write about the poet Wordsworth. One day, his guidance counselor at the athletics department excuses him from other classes. Forrest reports to Doctor Mills at the University Medical Center. Doctor Mills examines him.
Film adaptation
The novel was adapted into a feature-length film by Paramount PicturesParamount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
in 1994. The film, starring Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks
Thomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks is an American actor, producer, writer, and director. Hanks worked in television and family-friendly comedies, gaining wide notice in 1988's Big, before achieving success as a dramatic actor in several notable roles, including Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia, the title...
in the title role, won several Academy Awards and became, at the time, the fourth highest-grossing film ever. The novel contains many plot lines not included in the film. The novel was republished by Pocket Books
Pocket Books
Pocket Books is a division of Simon & Schuster that primarily publishes paperback books.- History :Pocket produced the first mass-market, pocket-sized paperback books in America in early 1939 and revolutionized the publishing industry...
(an imprint of Paramount's then-sister company Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster, Inc., a division of CBS Corporation, is a publisher founded in New York City in 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. It is one of the four largest English-language publishers, alongside Random House, Penguin and HarperCollins...
) to tie in with the release of the film.